Research Post

So far you have all been getting ready and learning from Internet sources to create your project.  Getting ready has included generating (thinking about) a project topic.  Then you brainstormed some questions and some of you posted some steps you will have to take.  

The next step has been using the research worksheet to learn from sources.  One of the problems though, is that many of you are just gathering pictures, diagrams, and links without actively making any connections or seeking a deeper understanding of how the information relates to your project topic.

Today, your task is to take the information you have gathered and use it to write your first process reflection by connecting the information you've discovered to your prior knowledge (stuff you already knew or had questions about).  The reflection post incorporate the most important, interesting, or helpful information you have discovered into a the blog entry.  

What will you write about?  Many of you have not expressed or explained what you already know about the project topic or why it is so important to you.  For example, Medina really cares about animals.  Gary is trying out for the basketball team and wants to move up to the next level.  Aziza performs with a dance group outside of school.  Brandon already cooks and is an aspiring chef.  Leon is an avid video game player and wants to pursue a career in game development.  Miliada is also a dancer and has been for a long time.  Shanoi really like fashion and Cortland is fan of rock music.  

Start your blog entry today by taking the time to explain why the topic is so important to you and what you already know about it.  Then explain some of the questions you had about the topic and how your research has begun to answer those questions.  While some of you may feel like you are done researching, you have only really begun to learn about your project.  

Try and make some connections between what you already knew about your project topic and what you learned from just a few Internet sources.

As we move ahead with the project, you will begin learning from primary sources including people you interview, secondary sources like books and magazines.  The Internet is only one source of information and not all of it is good.  You will also begin to learn by doing including performing, experimenting, creating, imaging, and generally making stuff.  There are more steps in the learning spiral that you will encounter before you really have made a project.  

Due today: A 150 - 200 word reflection post about your project topic starting with why it's so important to you, what you may have already known about it, and what connections you've made through the research to your own questions.  Title the post Process Reflection #1

What is SMART goal setting?

In order to help you complete your project we will begin to set and meet goals each week.  The goal setting process will occur every Tuesday for warm-up.  To help you learn to set and meet your individual goals, we are going to look at protocol for goal setting that professionals use. The idea is to set smart goals that you can accomplish. So why do we call them SMART goals? Take a minute right now and think about each letter in the word SMART: S-M-A-R-T. What word might each letter stand for that would help you set and meet goals? Try and figure out at least one and leave your inference as a comment.

SMART goal indicators

• S - Simple - keep your goals directly related to the task at hand. Use your backwards plans.
• M - Measurable - your goal should show growth with demonstrable evidence.
• A - Achievable - your goal should be something that you can accomplish with effort.
• R - Realistic - no amount of effort or hard work can overcome an unrealistic goal.
• T - Time Table - your goal should have a deadline.

Today we will set our first SMART goal together to help start our research into our project idea and develop a list of resources for our blog.

SMART Goal template

By blank blankI will blank blank blankand I will know I achieved blank blank blankbecause blank blank.

Using the SMART goal template post your first SMART goal, which you will work on tomorrow in class to meet.

Project Presentations

Tomorrow you will be presenting your project idea to the class. You will talk for 1 - 2 minutes and answer questions from your peers. Today, you should review the protocol for the presentation, which will give to talking points for your project.

Presentation Protocol:

1. State your name and grade.
2. Briefly explain your project idea.
   What is the main question or issue?
   
3. Summarize your backwards plan. What are some steps you will have to take? What materials or resources will you need?
   
4. Explain why you think your project is important.
   
5. How will your project affect others? How does it connect to the community?
   
6. Discuss what two habits of mind your project will exemplify or require you to use.
   

The class must ask each presenter at least two questions and receive an answer before we move on. The class may also provide any comments or suggestions to each presenter in addition to the questions.

Preliminary Backwards Plan

Creating an independent project for yourself is a big task and often the hardest part is getting started. It's easy to get overwhelmed by the whole idea of a project. In order to help ourselves get started we are going to try and create preliminary backwards plan. What is backwards planning? 

imagine it's early June and you have just shown your amazing project to your portfolio group. In your mind, try and imagine where you are in the school. Try and imagine what you have just shown, read, or presented to your audience. Try and imagine exactly how you presented your project. Close your eyes and visualize exactly what you are presenting to your audience

Now, you should have a picture of what your final project will look like. The question is 'how did you get all the way there from here?' Instead of starting with the first step, let's start with your end goal. Today I would like you to:
•Briefly introduce your project idea (one sentence to readers know what the project is about)
•Start a bulleted list like this that begins with the final step of your project, the final product, whether it's debuting a video or an exhibition of art work, and exactly how you would present it at portfolio.
•Then put your list of steps in any order that you believe you will have to go through to complete your project.
Start at the end and try to work backwards, but if a step pops into your head add it to your list. Post your backwards plan list of steps under "Preliminary Backward Plan". 

What is backwards planning?

The situation: You have to bake your mother a birthday cake for her birthday and you want to make it really special.

The final product: A beautiful birthday cake for your mother's birthday.

The steps: What is one step you would have to take to accomplish this task?

Think about any 3 steps that you would have to do at any point in the process to make accomplish the task. Leave a comment on this post with the 3 steps you know would have to get done from big steps to little ones.